Before the touchdown dances and sideline cheers, a winning game day experience hinges on mouthwatering food. Whether you’re hosting football parties at home, in your backyard, or right outside the stadium, starting off with delectable appetizers can get the crowd pumped up.
Keep your game plan simple this season and light up the scoreboard with crowd favorites like dips and wings. These versions are not only easy to prepare, but they can also be enjoyed fresh or prepped in advance and kept warm to fuel your fellow fans’ enthusiasm.
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Add Flavor to Game Day Celebrations
Setting the stage for a victorious game day begins with a pregame feast, and no tailgate or homegate is complete without a zesty dip to bring the heat.
The “Game Day Buffalo Chicken Dip” is a perfect way to fire up your guests, and it requires minimal prep time so you can save those precious moments before kickoff. Whether you bake it just before the game starts or prepare it ahead of time for a parking lot party, simply keep it warm and serve with chips or veggie sticks for a quick and shareable appetizer.
Game Day Buffalo Chicken Dip
Serves: 3-4
2 cups shredded chicken
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder A pinch of dried dill
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 green onions,
chopped blue cheese
crumbles chips
vegetable sticks
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a bowl, combine shredded chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried dill until well mixed.
- Add hot sauce to the mixture and combine.
- Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish and top with extra shredded cheese.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with blue cheese crumbles and chopped green onions.
- Serve warm with chips and vegetable sticks.
Score a Touchdown with a Game Day Dip
Elevate your tailgating experience this season by crafting healthier renditions of classic game day favorites. Become the MVP of your game day gathering with a scrumptious appetizer that’s a hall-of-fame contender. Employ fresh, easy-to-find, and healthy ingredients to create better-for-you versions of beloved tailgating dishes. Win extra points with family and friends while ensuring everyone enjoys the game day spread.
The “Game Day Taco Dip” adds a twist to beloved flavors like beef, refried beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, and black olives by incorporating the Fresh Express Butter Supreme Salad kit. This vibrant blend of green butter lettuce, red butter lettuce, radicchio, and baby chard is available in the refrigerated produce section. It’s ideal for crafting healthier versions of cherished tailgate dips, snacks, and finger foods.
Game Day Taco Dip
Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Servings: 12
1 pound ground beef
1 package (1 ounce) taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans, zesty salsa flavor
1 jar (16 ounces) thick and chunky salsa, medium or hot
2 cups guacamole
1/2 cup sour cream
3 packages (5 ounces each) Fresh Express Butter Supreme
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced black olives, drained
1 package (14 ounces) tortilla chips
Instructions:
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef for about 5 minutes, until no longer pink. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and mix well. Add water and cook for an additional 2 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Add minced cilantro and mix.
- In a 9-inch pie plate, spread refried beans evenly, then top with seasoned ground beef and salsa. Spoon guacamole across the top of the salsa and spread it evenly.
- Place sour cream in a small resealable bag, cut off a corner, and pipe sour cream to create a football shape on the guacamole.
- Put the pie plate in the center of a 15-by-18-inch tray. Arrange the salad blend around the pie plate. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and olives. Serve with tortilla chips.
Just Wing It
Skip the utensils at your next homegate and dive straight into a fan favorite that requires nothing but your hands and plenty of napkins: wings.
Whether you nibble through them or devour each wing to the bone, these “Game Day Chicken Wings” are perfect for fans of all types. A simple flour-based coating makes the recipe easy to prepare, and baking them in the oven means you can skip the mess of frying or firing up the grill.
Bake them until they’re crispy, then lay out your party’s preferred dipping sauces—ranch, blue cheese, barbecue, and more. Once your spread is set, it’s time to kick back and enjoy the game.
Game Day Chicken Wings
Total time: 50 minutes Servings: 4
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
10 chicken wingettes,
thawed dipping sauces (optional)
fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the butter cubes on the foil.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Coat both sides of the wingettes in the flour mixture and space them evenly among the butter cubes on the baking sheet.
- Bake the wings for 30 minutes.
- Turn the wings over and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until they are crispy and fully cooked.
- Serve with dipping sauces and sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.